avengers63 Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 I'm wanting to nip off the bit hanging over the 24th fret and leave the end flush with the end of the neck. I'm undecided whether I'll leave the corners square or round them out with the end of the neck. The whole reason to do this is for a 3-pup ax I'm working on. It's a 24 fret neck with a 24.75 scale, so space between the neck joint and bridge is REALLY tight. If I can have another 1/8", even that much would help. The basic question is how much wood do I need past the fret for it to remain stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 The basic question is how much wood do I need past the fret for it to remain stable. Even if you round it to follow the end of the neck heel, it will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmth Builder Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Melvyn Hiscock's book says about 3/8" or 9.5 mm after the last fret slot, but thats probably pre fretting, since its already fretted you'll probably get away with just chopping that bit off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ae3 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 That's an Ibanez neck, yes? From an RG170DX. Could be wrong, I'm not 100% sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 That's an Ibanez neck, yes? From an RG170DX. Could be wrong, I'm not 100% sure. BC Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusader Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 This question sounds very familiar! I'm with Neil Beith, I would chop it off flush with the fret! (If thats what he meant...? and as long as the trussrod isn't in the way) If you really wanted to play it safe I would pull the last fret out and get an idea of how tight it is. And maybe make the slot wider if you think it needs it and glue the fret back in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 In that 2nd picture it looks like there is plenty of meat remain after the 24th fret to the butt of the neck to just cut it flush. Rosewood is plenty strong enough to only need a few mm after the fret. My main concern would be the look of the fretboard with the end chopped off - I think it would look rather odd in my opinion with a very small overhang after the last fret. In a similar vein to the other neck cutting thread I assume from the pictures that the truss rod adjustment is at the top of the neck and it wouldn't come all the way to the 23rd fret . . so you could convert the neck to a 22 fret neck keeping the looks and allowing you the room for the 3 pickups. It's something to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 It is a headstock-adjusted truss rod. Hmmmm... So how would I go about finding the end of the truss rod without major surgery? Converting it to a 22-fret sounds like a good idea. This would have an added benefit of moving the bridge back further towards the bottom (the body is HUGE). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 It is a headstock-adjusted truss rod. Hmmmm... So how would I go about finding the end of the truss rod without major surgery? Converting it to a 22-fret sounds like a good idea. This would have an added benefit of moving the bridge back further towards the bottom (the body is HUGE). The obvious way is get the trusty steam iron out and flirt the fret board off but if you don't want to the do this then the only tool I can think of that could help is one of those Black & Decker pipe detector gizmos. The other way to check is if you mark a dead centre line on the heel then use a small drill bit (taped off to the depth of the 23 fret) then drill a couple of bore holes in the heel if you hit metal you'd know the truss rod is too close. Personally I'd just make the assumption that the truss rod just wouldn't come to the 23rd fret on the basis that they'll use the same truss rod for there 22 fret necks and also truss rods in general always finish a good inch or two from the end of the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narcissism Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Careful with this. Remember when I shortened the neck on my fretless bass and found the truss rod was only a half inch away from the end? I would do it the right way (not my way with cut-n-pray), and get a stud finder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workingman Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Couldn't you use a stong magnet to detect the end of the truss rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stereordinary Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 I always get a "Hangover Past The 24th Fret". Playing that high is intoxicating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 What I ended up doing was drilling a hole through the side of the neck between the 22nd & 23rd fret. I didn't hit metal, so I went ahead and took off the bottom of the neck just behind the 23rd. This will give me plenty of room to fine-tune the end AND it gave me another 11/16" of room. When it was as tight for room as it was, that's a HUGE amount. Thanks for the input, suggestions, and what to look out for. It all worked out great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 Good Stuff . . . just need the after pictures now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 The title of this topic has given me an idea: If I ever open a pub, it's going to be called "The 24th Fret." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 The title of this topic has given me an idea: If I ever open a pub, it's going to be called "The 24th Fret." But only fretted instrument players would get it. There's one in a nearby college town called The Stagger In. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 Obviously, it isn't contoured yet, but the surgery basically went off without a hitch. And, as I said, I gained a LOT of room. As it was, the neck pup ring was up against the hangover and the bridge pup ring was at the intonation line. This little bit of room really opened things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted April 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 And not it's all done and ready to go. I decided making it a square heel was easier in the long tun than trying to round it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narcissism Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 That's really nice work. aside from the color from the sanding, you would never have known that there was work done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Nice bit of surgery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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